Nashville is a soulful city steeped in country music culture full of good eats and live music. We didn't plan much before heading to there because I was mostly going to be working and Tuan said he would just "wing it" with Parker but thanks to recommendations from friends, family, TripAdvisor and Yelp we managed to fit a lot into our 5 days in Music City, USA. The list below is in no particular order except for #1. You can't go to Nashville without eating hot chicken!
Shout out to my husband for basically being a single dad for 5 days while I worked. You're the best, babe.
1. Hattie B's
We landed in Nashville around 2 PM on a rainy Friday. After checking into the Omni, we took an Uber straight to Hattie B's and stood in line in the rain to try the much hyped hot chicken. Hattie B's did not disappoint! The chicken and all the sides were delicious and so perfect after a long flight. Hattie B's has a few tables inside and picnic-style tables outside on their covered patio. It's casual and was perfect for Parker who is currently allergic to sitting in chairs.
Mom tip: Kid-friendly menus were available everywhere we went in Nashville. There was always some mix of chicken tenders, french fries and mac n cheese.
2. Rocket Fizz
While I was working long hours at an expo, Tuan and Parker bought every kind of sour candy they could get their hands on to replicate some sour candy challenge that Parker saw on YouTube. They really hit the motherlode when we found Rocket Fizz candy shop while strolling 2nd street. Every shelf in this charming little candy shop was loaded with sweets and old school sodas.
After chowing down on BBQ at Peg Leg Porker's, we wanted to hit up Jeni's Splended Ice Cream but it was closed so we went to Mike's Ice Cream instead. I'm glad we did too because it was delicious and the perfect way to cool down in the Nashville heat.
Mom tip: Many places are closed or close early on Sundays.
It's hard for us to be impressed by zoos since the world famous San Diego Zoo is in our hometown. However, the Nashville Zoo did have some things that we don't have at home. Parker was really excited to pet a kangaroo and play in the incredible jungle gym. He was really impressed by the poisonous frogs and snakes on display at the zoo.
Mom tip: An Uber to the zoo was about $20.
The city of Nashville is bordered by the Cumberland River and you would really be missing out if you didn't take a stroll across the pedestrian bridge. The views of the skyline from the bridge are incredible. It was great to watch the action on the river below as well.
Mom tip: Everything in downtown Nashville is easily walkable. If you don't feel like walking, Ubers and Lyfts are readily available.
Parker's favorite exhibits at the Adventure Science Center were BodyQuest, a hands on exploration of the human body which included a fart slide, and Dino Rumble, an exhibit of dinosaurs that move and growl. Tuan said they spent a long time building robots out of blocks. I really wish I could have been there to experience it in person.
7. Martin's BBQ
Our room at the Omni faced Martin's BBQ and there seemed to be a line there no matter what time of day it was. So on our last day in Nashville, we waited until the line looked a little shorter and made our way across the street to experience it for ourselves. Martin's specializes in whole hog BBQ and the meat and sides were delicious. After our meal, we checked out the backyard beer garden and one of the staff was kind enough to give us a peek of the whole hog pits. Tuan was in BBQ heaven. What an incredible experience.
8. Omni Nashville
We had a great experience staying on the top floor of the Omni Nashville. Our room was spacious, clean and the staff was friendly. Parker just about died when he saw our view of a working construction site (they're building a Marriott across the street). He also loved the rooftop pool which has a nice shallow end for little kids and a bar for mom and dad. The Omni is conveniently across the street from the convention center, where I spent most of my time, and connected to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Hatch Show Print.
9. Biscuit Love
Bonuts = biscuit + donuts. Need I say more? This bright and modern restaurant was a nice change from all the dark, sticky BBQ places we ate at in Nashville. Like the BBQ places, however, this place also had a line out the door. Their bonuts are so good and perfect for sharing.
I don't have any photos of Puckett's but it's definitely worth adding to this list. I was in Nashville for a convention and had to work long hours. After one particularly late night, we wandered to Puckett's to pick up a to-go order and took it back to our hotel to have a late-night picnic on the bed. The pulled pork sandwich from Puckett's was very good and I can see why there is so much hype for this place. It's too bad we didn't have time to dine in and enjoy the live music.
